WHEELING, W.VA. – Led by Raziyah Farrington with 28 points and the stellar performance in Dionna Sander's double-double the Golden Eagles (25-6) fell in the MEC Championship to the Glenville State Pioneers (29-2)
 
JUST THE BASICS
SCORE:  Glenville 78, Charleston 69
LOCATION: Wheeling, W.Va. – Wes Banco Arena
TEAM RECORDS:
Charleston (25-6)
Concord (29-2)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The high-pressure defense proved difficult for the Golden Eagles at the start. In the first four minutes Glenville forced three turnovers taking a 11-2 lead with 6:42 to play in the first quarter. Charleston found some life scoring on three straight possessions to bring the score within eight points with just over four minutes to play in the first. The Pioneers stayed quick in transition with Emily Stoller hitting a three from the corner to give Glenville the 21-10 edge at the 3:26 mark. Charleston clawed back into the fight, cutting the Pioneer lead to seven points to finish the first quarter down 19-26.
 
The Golden Eagles kept fighting through the Glenville defense, cutting the lead to nine points, but Stoller nailed a deep three just before the media timeout to extend the Pioneer lead to 12 points.  Farrington continued the effort of driving to the basket, and hit a pullup jumper to put UC back within ten points with 2:35 to play, but Glenville answered with a bucket on the next possession. Sanders scored the final bucket for the Golden Eagles before going into the half with Glenville leading 43-33.
 
Charleston shot a clean 50 percent from the field in the first half, but the 11 turnovers took away a few key possessions. Farrinton went 7-14 from the field to lead UC in the first half with 14 points, while sanders tallied 10 points.
 
Coming out of the break the teams stayed close, Charleston not allowing the Pioneers to extend their lead by more than 12 with 5:38 to play in the third quarter. A mid third quarter surge for the Golden Eagles brought them within seven points of their opponents after a three-point play was completed by Farrington to bring the score to 45-52. A pair of free throws by sanders on the next possession brought UC within five points.
 
Sanders hit a shot from the block with 2:08 to go in the third bringing UC within two points of the Pioneers with the score at 52-50.  Charleston fought to stay in the game, only down 53-57 to end the third.
 
Midway through the fourth quarter Farrington's bucket in the paint brought UC within just one point of the pioneers, but back-to-back threes from Stoller gave Glenville the seven-point edge that the Golden Eagles just could not break. Charleston would fall in the MEC Final 69-78.
 
Farrington finished with 28 breaking the Golden Eagles single season scoring record, previously held by Sherry Winn in 1986. Sanders tallied 25 points, and 14 boards for UC. Brooklyn Pannell and Madison Jones combined for 11 points in the effort.
 
UC GAME LEADERS
Points – Raziyah Farrington (28)
Rebounds – Dionna Sanders (14)
Assists – Gracie Roberts (2)
Blocks – Anna Hayton (2)
Steals – Brooklyn Pannell (4)